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3 SOUTH BALTIC REGION region. Large land holdings, magnificent palaces, other The Southern Baltic has always been a space where people, massive buildings, an abun- goods, ideas and armies circulated. It is a region of shared histo- dance of parks and greenery ry, linked by family ties, economic activity and border changes. have influenced and now In the course of history, the countries of the region, Sweden, continue to influence the Denmark, Germany, Poland and Lithuania, which are nowadays landscape of the whole re- now well known to everybody, were formed. Linked by com- gion. Attention was paid to mon political, cultural, environmental and economic ties, they the historical and cultural sim- have created the South Baltic Cross-Border Cooperation Pro- ilarities and differences of the gram Interreg in order to strengthen the sustainable develop- manors, their development in ment of the region, increase its competitiveness, and promote the course of history, the cur- integration between people and institutions. rent situation, the problems of The co-operation aims to create the attractiveness and preservation of manor build- common identity of the South Baltic region, to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and cultural heritage, with ings and traditions, wider op- a special focus on tourism, the development of renewable en- portunities for opening man- ergy sources, energy saving and local initiatives. ors to today‘s visitors. Projects improving environmental risk management in the In the course of history, region are supported. Cooperation between people is support- manors in the south-eastern ed in order to use natural, cultural and social resources for the and western parts of the re- The publication was funded by the Interreg V-A South Baltic Cross-Border Cooperation Program project recognition of the region in Europe and the world. gion were significantly dif- “Increasing the value of manor heritage through tourism development measures in rural areas of the One of the initiated Interreg projects „South Baltic Manors“ fered after the Second World South Baltic Region” No. STHB.02.01.00-DE-0140/17 has discovered the rich and unique heritage of manors in the War. In Poland, the Baltic States and East Germany, many man- sions were destroyed during and after the war. After 1989 (the end of the communist re- gime), many manor buildings were restored or rebuilt. The manors of Denmark and Sweden, in contrast to the eastern part of the region, have not been dramatically Direcorate of Rambynas regional The Karšuva circle restored. Many of them still Rambynas regional park routes operate as large agricultural units. Travel and admire the im- pressive landscape of manors in the South Baltic region, Meeting of the “South Baltic Manors” project partners in Rambynas in Lithuania Minor and in Regional Park, September 2019. Rambynas Regional Park! 4 5 LITHUANIA MINOR FROM KlaipėdA TO RAMBYNAS: its abundance of ornate archi- from Pagėgiai, you will en- „island of values“ from the tectural buildings, built in the ter Rambynas Regional Park Rambynas Regional Park Visi- BY BIKE THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE, HISTORY AND MANORS interwar period, and the „Vilni- - a state protected territory tors‘ Centre. Here you will find us Oak“ planted near the old established to preserve the the most important informa- There are about 100 were immediately destroyed and crafts. After the Industrial railway station in 1924. most important values of the tion about the most famous kilometres from Klaipeda during the creation of the col- Revolution of the 19th centu- In the direction of Kaunas, region. We suggest starting manors in the area and other to Rambynas Regional Park. lective farms. Many families ry he began collecting eth- approximately 10 kilometres your acquaintance with this places suitable for visiting. One can get to know this re- from other Lithuanian or Slav- nographic material that is on gion, exceptional for both - its ic countries were accommo- display in this museum. history and natural-cultural dated in the manor buildings. As you approach Ramby- RAMBYNAS REGIONAL PARK 13-kilometer stretch from landscape, while traveling by Some of the buildings turned nas, you will drive through the the confluence of the Nemu- car or public transport. It is into collective farm offices, town of Pagėgiai, famous for Rambynas Regional Park can also see the Bitėnai cem- nas and Jūra rivers and the true, this is a bit of a challenge was established in 1992 in or- etery which is often called the Rambynas sacred mountain, for cyclists, but there are a der to preserve the landscape Pantheon of Lithuania Minor, the border of the park contin- number of different ways of the lower Nemunas, its nat- which houses the remains of ues along the Nemunas (the to travel, such as train and ural ecosystem and the cultur- Vydūnas, Martyna Jankus and largest river in Lithuania) and bike. The sight of the coun- al heritage valuables of Lith- other famous personalities. the state border of Lithuania try is really different than in uania Minor, to manage and The stories of book smug- with the Kaliningrad region of the rest of Lithuania. As you rationally use them. Rambynas glers are also remembered at the Russian Federation. There pass through towns, smaller Regional Park is one of the Rambynas Regional Park. Only are 33 oxbow lakes scattered towns and villages, you will smallest regional parks in Lith- here one can see a colony of in the Nemunas Valley, the clearly notice the old red- uania, with the area of 4788 white storks in Bitėnai. Only largest of which are Merguva brick buildings of former ar- ha. In the territory of the park here herb of grace grows. and Bitežeris. chitecture of former manors, there are 8 nature reserves There are 8 villages in In order to ensure the pro- schools and other purposes. where the greatest natural and the park (Bitėnai, Bardėnai, tection of natural and cultural It is a historical land of East cultural values of the Ramby- Šereiklaukis, Opstainys, Rau- heritage values in Rambynas Prussia, called Klaipėda re- Hugo Scheu Manor - Museum in Šilutė. www.silutesmuziejus.lt nas area are protected - urban dondvaris, Pempynė, Vilkyškiai Regional Park, the Ramby- gion. Now this region is called elements of Vilkyškiai old town, and a part of Lumpėnai), with nas Regional Park Directorate Lithuania Minor. The region warehouses, or were simply extremely expressive forms of about 1340 residents, 247 ha was established on January 1, was rich and advanced in demolished, using solid red Vilkyškiai ridge and geomor- of water bodies. In the the 2001. cultural and economic terms, bricks for farm construction. phology, buildings and green- which influenced the manner After Lithuania regained in- ery architecture of Šereiklaukis Panorama from Rambynas Hill of construction of farm and dependence, the manors are Manor, forest ecosystems and public buildings. The land revived and their history and biodiversity in Šereiklaukis and was rich in larger and smaller culture are restored. Many of Rambynas. mansions and manors. Life in them have become real tour- The park preserves a small East Prussia changed dramat- ist attractions. but extremely valuable frag- ically after World War II. The Traveling from Klaipeda ment of the Nemunas valley manors, as an economic and to Rambynas, you can visit with the famous Rambynas cultural unit, were destroyed. the museum located in Šilutė hill, the bend of Ragainė, the The new system created col- Hugo Scheu Manor. Hugo confluence of the Jūra and lective farms. Manors with all Scheu was a well-known fig- „Vilnius Oak“ in Pagėgiai, 2018. the Nemunas, with many ox- the buildings and inventory ure in East Prussian economy photo by D. Milašauskienė bow lakes (žiogiai). Here one 6 7 IMAGES OF RAMBYNAS – get acquainted not only with the life and activities MEMORABLE, UNIQUE, ENCHANTING of Martynas Jankus, but also with the history of the The Rambynas Landscape Reserve is intended to preserve and exhibit the landscape of book of Lithuania Minor, the Rambynas Hill area, the ethnographically valuable villages of Bitėnai and Bardėnai as well printers, cultural and po- as natural and cultural values. litical figures. The museum is located on the cozy and picturesque bank of the RAMBYNAS HILL surrounding of forests and meadows, animals Bitė stresam, where vari- Rambynas Hill is a famous old shrine. It is and other assets of the regional park. The Visi- ous events take place dur- the most honorable place in Lithuania Minor, tor Center also offers films in Lithuanian, Eng- ing the tourist season. which was the spiritual center of the Balts lish and German about the history and present (Skalviai tribe) for centuries. On Rambynas of the Rambynas area, as well as information Rambynas Hill Hill, the old Baltic sanctuary existed even until publications and souvenirs. 1811. After the destruction of the sacred stone of sacrifices, the land began to be haunted by BITėnai - Užbičiai CEMETERY calamity. The mountain collapsed three times. The Bitėnai - Užbičiai Cemetery of excep- In 1835, the holy place of the mountain fell tional beauty and exemplary management is into the Nemunas. Nowadays, Rambynas is located on the high right bank of the Nemu- not only a sanctuary, but also the only place nas between Bitėnai village and Rambynas in Lithuania from which Ragainė, Tilžė, walking Hill. They are called the Pantheon of Lithuania trails of Mažvydas open so wide and echoes Minor. This cemetery is the place of eternal rest of Vydūnas choir, sailing down the Nemunas of prominent figures of Lithuania Minor: Mar- Gustav Volberg‘s Restaurant before World War II from his city - Tilžė, to his land - Rambynas. An tynas Jankus and some of his family members, opening in the direction of Ragainė opens a Vilius Storostas - Vydūnas, Jonas Vanagaitis, great panorama to the bend of the Nemunas, Valteris - Kristupas Banaitis, Valteris Didis, Ele- na Grigolaitytė Kondratavičienė.